Name Tomu Sione | Role Political figure | |
 | ||
Prime Minister Bikenibeu PaeniuKamuta Latasi Prime Minister Bikenibeu PaeniuIonatana IonatanaLagitupu TuilimuFaimalaga LukaKoloa Talake | ||
Sir Tomu Malaefone Sione (17 November 1941 – April 2016) was a political figure from the Pacific nation of Tuvalu. He worked as a journalist from 1962–68. He was the head of the southern Niutao clan. He was married to Segali.
Contents
- Member of Parliament
- Governor General
- Later political career
- Unsuccessful attempt at political comeback
- References
Member of Parliament
Tomu Sione was first elected to represent the constituency of Niutao in the House of Representatives of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony in the general election of 1971. He was re-elected in the general election of 1974. Following the separation of Tuvalu from Kiribati he served in the House of Assembly of the Colony of Tuvalu. From 1975 to 1978 he was the minister for commerce and natural resources in the cabinet of the Chief Minister Toalipi Lauti.
Following independence Tomu Sione was elected to represent the constituency of Niutao in the Parliament of Tuvalu in the elections held on 27 August 1977.
Governor-General
Sione served as Governor-General of Tuvalu from 1993–1994, as the representative of HM Queen Elizabeth II, who is Tuvalu's head of state.
Later political career
Somewhat unusually for a former Governor-General, after standing down from this office, Sione later stood again for parliament. He was elected by the constituency of Niutao and served as Speaker of the Parliament from 1998 to 2002.
He was created GCMG in 2001.
Sione lost his seat in the 2002 general election, however he was re-elected in the Tuvaluan general election, 2006 and was subsequent appointed as chairman of the parliamentary caucus in the Administration of Prime Minister of Tuvalu Apisai Ielemia.
He represented the constituency of Niutao until the Tuvaluan general election, 2010.
Unsuccessful attempt at political comeback
Having been out of parliament for 5 years, he was a candidate in the Tuvaluan general election, 2015 and received 300 votes, but was not elected.